setting up a budget and sticking to it
By asyria51
@asyria51 (2861)
United States
March 10, 2013 1:06pm CST
I am always very aware of what I am spending and how it effects my budget. I set the budget for myself and child when it comes to clothing and very rarely even come close to the budget because I shop at re-sale shops, sales/clearance racks, and make sure that I actually need something before I buy it. However, I do not feel that gift cards that I get for my birthday or Christmas should count towards the budget since it is not taking money out of the accounts for the budget.
My husband is not good with a budget. If he wants to go out to eat, he just goes out and eats not taking into account that we set a food budget and eating out really cuts into that food budget. We either have to go over budget, and not have the money when we need it for big projects, or we have to cut back some where else.
I do not understand how someone raised by the parents to raised him, and balance their checkbook etc. to the penny can have a son who is so blase about money and financial matters.
Do you try and stick to a budget?
1 person likes this
11 responses
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
11 Mar 13
It is hard to budget, but I try very hard. This week is hard for me to budget because I have a late sewing class on Monday and Thursday my friend from California is coming out on Thursday and we are going out to dinner. I have not seen her in a couple of years and really want to see her. After this week things will get easier and I can go back and rebudget. What makes it hard to budget is the fact that gas prices keep on going up and everytime I set up a budget for gas I have to change it because the prices go up. I do our budgeting because Randy is horrible at budgeting and if I allowed him to do our budget we would never have any money.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
11 Mar 13
My husband has learned the hard way that maybe I do have better financial ideas than he does. He bought a gas guzzling suv, and we could not afford it. We ended up having to trade it in. He made a good decision that time and bought a used Prius. We are spending a third of what we were on gas.
@maximax8 (31047)
• United Kingdom
10 Mar 13
I worked out how much money I have coming to myself and my children each month. Then I looked at my essential outgoing expenses and moved all of these to direct debit payment in my main bank account. My biggest expenses are my mortgage and my traveling overseas hobby.
I allow myself so much money per week for groceries, my children's activities and healthcare like dog grooming. Towards the end of the month I am usually very short of money. I fall back on my debit card sometimes when we need more groceries and yet all the months money has gone.
I try to send money to my new travel account. I will put lots more money in it a couple of weeks before my trip to Eastern Europe. To stick to a budget I have got cheaper gas and electricity, broadband and phone and mortgage insurance. I have changed the term of my mortgage from 23 more years to 10 more years in November last year. I will save much money in interest. It will let me pay my mortgage off by 2022 instead of 2035.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
10 Mar 13
We are in the process of re-financing our mortgage. We will be lowering our interest rate by almost 2% and going to a shorter term mortgage. I think I have it figured out that we will have it paid off in 2025 if we keep paying an extra payment every year.
My husband and I also have the expensive hobby of travel. We just last night booked our flights to germany, and from germany to ireland then back come. We hope in about two years to make it to Italy. In the meantime, we will still travel around the states.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
22 Mar 13
My husband and I often disagree about money. I try to save money and I try to stick to the budget, but my husband tends to spend too much. We discuss the things that we are going to buy (groceries etc) and we make a list but when my husband visits the shops he usually buys a lot of other things that weren't a part of the list. He can be quite impulsive sometimes and if he sees something in the shop that we wants he tends to buy it without thinking about the budget. Last year we managed to cut back on our expenses and save up the money for a trip to Asia, but I had to take the initiative and handle the savings, because my husband is not good at saving money.
@salma07 (639)
• India
10 Mar 13
Well, its really hard to stick to the budget, especially when you are constantly surrounded with distraction and things that you like to buy and have. I like how you manage and that is something which i cant seem to do. Or else i would have had a great time. I always go beyond what i tend spend especially while going out with friends. I would actually prefer to stop that i hope to stop that soon. Thanks for inspiring this. have a nice day
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
10 Mar 13
I have set up a good group of friends that meet at least 2 times a month at someone's house. The person hosting is in charge of the main dish and everyone else brings the sides. Everyone brings what they want to drink. We stay in and play board or card games. This really helped out our entertainment budget. Side dishes are a lot less expensive than going out for dinner, and even when we have the main dish, we plan ahead and shop the sales. We did a taco bar last time, and found the meat and shredded cheeses on sale. We spent about what we would have spent on going out and it fed close to 20 people. With others bringing chips, dips, salsa etc. it was a more than filling meal, great time, and inexpensive.
I find now that I am "older", no longer in college, married and having a child, that it is easier to "stay in" than it used to be. Going to the bars would set me back $50 in one night. I would rather save that money.
@doroffee (4222)
• Hungary
10 Mar 13
I am always trying to have a budget. Sometimes I go overboard, but I tend to keep the budget always a bit on the lower side so that me crossing it would not cause that much of a havoc... it would just be an alert for me that I failed that month's limit. That would make me more prepared for tougher times (as I don't have a family yet).
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
10 Mar 13
I tend to err on the side of staying under budget. I would much rather have a bit in savings and skimp here and there, than be living pay check to pacy check and having all of the luxuries. I hate the feeling of not knowing how you are going to pay a bill. I was there a few years ago, and have vowed to never be there again.
@Raine38 (12250)
• United States
10 Mar 13
Oh yes, as much and as strictly as possible. I make sure that even after the savings, I would still have some few left over on my budget just to be on the safe side. My husband is also good with personal finance but I think I am more of a cheapskate than he is. He works hard and makes good money but he is also fond of the good and expensive stuff. Me on the other hand will have t think a lot of times before spending even though we can afford it.
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
10 Mar 13
I always think and re-think a big purchase. Even with clothing, I ask myself if I really need it or if it can wait until it is on sale. I always want extra in my savings account. Had to live pay check to paycheck for a while and it scared me not knowing if I was going to have enough to pay my bills.
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
11 Mar 13
I try to always stick within the budget coz the money that we have in a month isn't really that much. But my husband do not want me to take care of the money. He keeps it himself and then just give me a certain amount which he thinks is enough for a week's needs. But mind you, it is so small, it is hard to stretch the budget. Good think I have some money to add to our weekly grocery shopping. He doesn't know how to handle money well. he doesn't even know how to keep money in the bank. If he has money, he spends it without thinking it there would still be enough for the following days.
@mrswhitfield (2044)
• Indonesia
14 Mar 13
I have problem in setting up my budget and sticking on it. I always tempting to spend more than what I have been budgetting. I am still learning and trying to control myself in spending money wisely. I am not shoppingholic for clothes or shoes or jewelry but I always tempting to hunting for food
@ARIES1973 (11426)
• Legaspi, Philippines
18 Mar 13
Although it has been difficult for us after my husband retired from the service last January and until this time he's not able to receive his retirement benefits, but I am trying my best to stick to the budget.
I would only buy things which are really necessary and avoid those which we don't need for the moment.
Have a great day!
@Bhebelen14 (5194)
• Philippines
14 Mar 13
I am doing the best i can to stick in our budget because i am saving for our future. My husband is good in taking care of our finances and taught me how to handle our budget. Usually twice a month we divided our money into 4, first part going to the bank, second for the food, thirds for our personal needs and fourth for our dates like eating outside or watching movies. I am glad that his parents raise him well and tough him how to value the money.
